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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27125905">Murder, guns and hair dye</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cryptic_Crypto_Cryptids/pseuds/Cryptic_Crypto_Cryptids'>Cryptic_Crypto_Cryptids</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>BREU (Broken Reality Extended Universe) [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Broken Reality Server - Fandom, 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(also they're both lowkey unhinged but we don't talk about that), AU of an AU of an AU, Angst, BREU - Canon Divergence, Broken Reality Extended Universe - Freeform, Cryptic is terrifying, Discord: Broken Reality AU (My Hero Academia), Gen, Guns, Hero!LoL, Murder, Roleswap, Sofi is terrifying, Swap!AU, ToC is DaA, Villain!UA, Violence, i feel really mean for writing this, me forgetting to add the angst tag until like two days later: i am but a clown</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 18:56:24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,196</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27125905</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cryptic_Crypto_Cryptids/pseuds/Cryptic_Crypto_Cryptids</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In another world, things turned out differently.<br/>They turned out better.</p><p>Here, they were the villains.</p><p>Here, they were ruthless.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sofi (BR) &amp; Cryptic | Catalyst</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>BREU (Broken Reality Extended Universe) [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1904356</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Broken Reality Server</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Murder, guns and hair dye</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>(For the uninitiated: this is a role reversal au! UA are the villains, and the LoL are all heroes/vigilantes. Some of the previously neutral characters changed sides as well!)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><br/>
She stared at her parent’s bodies.</p><p> </p><p>She… </p><p> </p><p>Her pulse drummed in her ears.</p><p> </p><p>She licked the blood around her mouth, heat settling in her chest.</p><p> </p><p>She couldn’t remember how she’d gotten home and out of the woods, but she remembered being afraid.</p><p> </p><p>She remembered how she’d just asked to come inside, and how they’d gotten angry, and how her father came up to her, pulling back his arm and growling about what a stupid, no good, <em>useless</em> brat she was.</p><p> </p><p>How he’d punched her so hard she fell to the ground wheezing.</p><p> </p><p>She remembered being angry and afraid and <em>desperate</em> before everything became a blur.</p><p> </p><p>And now her heart pounded in her chest, no longer desperate but just as afraid, for different reasons now.</p><p> </p><p>She was just trying to defend herself.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>She was just trying to defend herself.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>A whispered mantra, slowly turning to hysteria.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Her jaw ached.</p><p> </p><p>She rubbed it absentmindedly, trying not to grind her teeth.</p><p> </p><p>The cashier looked up at her, smiling.</p><p> </p><p>She tried to smile back, but it came out sharper than she intended.</p><p> </p><p>The cashier’s smile faltered as he stared at the tall girl in front of him.</p><p> </p><p>“Will this be all, miss?” He gestured to her bizarre collection of items.</p><p> </p><p>A duffle bag, black hair dye, a small toolset.</p><p> </p><p>A muzzle.</p><p> </p><p>She nodded.</p><p> </p><p>He scanned the items, handing them to Cryptic and counting out her change quickly.</p><p> </p><p>She shoved them all in the bag and walked out into the dark.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>She dyed her fur black and cut her hair to a short, choppy bob. The bathtub was stained with dye, as were the towels she used. Tufts of wavy blue hair were scattered across the floor.</p><p> </p><p>She stared into the mirror.</p><p> </p><p>Completely unrecognizable.</p><p> </p><p>Step one of leaving was complete.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>If she could make this look like a home invasion gone wrong, she could effectively disappear off the face of the planet.</p><p> </p><p>She knew she should just turn herself in.</p><p> </p><p>It had been an accident, after all.</p><p> </p><p>But she knew they wouldn’t believe her.</p><p> </p><p>And she couldn’t have her freedom taken away when she had just gotten it.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>She didn’t need to worry about her siblings in the end.</p><p> </p><p>Her parents had left them with friends, using the night for some “alone time”, considering how she was<em> ‘already out of the way’.</em></p><p> </p><p>Regret welled in her chest.</p><p> </p><p>Her siblings were young, and they no longer had their parents.</p><p> </p><p>But… maybe that was for the better.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>She packed the bag quickly, taking some clothes, food, first aid supplies and the items she’d purchased with her but leaving most of her things behind.</p><p> </p><p>After all, she couldn’t be Cryptic after she left.</p><p> </p><p>Her robotic movements stilled as she remembered where her father kept his gun.</p><p> </p><p>She had never dared to touch it before.</p><p> </p><p>She hesitated.</p><p> </p><p>Her bloody, shaking hands as she tried to scrub the red stains from her fur flashed before her eyes.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>She entered what was her former parents' bedroom and opened the closet.</p><p> </p><p>Alongside the gun she grabbed her mother’s jewelry and any cash she could find before leaving the room as quickly as possible.</p><p> </p><p>Cryptic shoved the gun into the bag, leaving it on top.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>She enjoyed smashing the china plates that her mother had cared more about than anything else in the world.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Her heart pleaded with her to reconsider before it was too late.</p><p> </p><p>Of course, it was already too late.</p><p> </p><p>Far too late.</p><p> </p><p>She opened the door into the cool night air.</p><p> </p><p>At just under fourteen years old, she was a criminal on the run.</p><p> </p><p>A criminal, but on her own terms.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>It was difficult.</p><p> </p><p>Hiding, running, stealing.</p><p> </p><p>She felt an uncomfortable sense of… <em>satisfaction</em> every time she evaded capture.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>She had thought about what she would do, eventually.</p><p> </p><p>Once she could plan past the next three days.</p><p> </p><p>She hadn’t used her name in a long, long time.</p><p> </p><p>Could she ever go back to being… normal?</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>She hated the muzzle.</p><p> </p><p>But she was afraid- no, <em>terrified</em> of what she might do without it, if she was desperate enough. </p><p> </p><p>She didn’t want to become a rabid animal, fighting out of fear or desperation. </p><p> </p><p>So she wore it anyway.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>The first time she realized that she could never leave her new cycle of anger, destruction and then chilling satisfaction was when she met a hero she never learned the name of.</p><p> </p><p>She hadn’t done anything.</p><p> </p><p>The hero had cornered her an alleyway, leaving her trapped like a <em>rat</em>.</p><p> </p><p>She hadn’t <em>done</em> anything.</p><p> </p><p>He used his quirk on her, laughing.</p><p> </p><p>Electricity raced through her chest, forcing her to fall to the ground.</p><p> </p><p>Her breathing accelerated, fear tearing through her heart.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>She hadn’t done anything.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Anger burned in the forge of her determination, quickly overshadowing the terror ripping through her.</p><p> </p><p>How <em>dare</em> he overhear she was quirkless and determine her as <em>weak.</em></p><p> </p><p>As an easy mark.</p><p> </p><p>As <em>worthless.</em></p><p> </p><p>When she felt his flesh rip into shreds under her claws, she knew for the first time that she could never go back.</p><p> </p><p>Not after she was hurt just for existing</p><p> </p><p>Not after experiencing the glee that came from <em>destroying</em> those that would harm her.</p><p> </p><p>She wouldn’t be made afraid again, not when she finally had power over herself and her future.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Cat.</p><p> </p><p>A fitting name for someone with her fangs and claws.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>She had wanted to be a hero, once.</p><p> </p><p>It sounded ridiculous, thinking about it now.</p><p> </p><p>Heroes hurt people just trying to survive just because they thought they were any better than them, with flashy quirks and an elite society.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Pride settled in her chest and kept her warm for weeks when she found out they’d closed the case of her parent’s murder.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Cat wiped the blood off her face, grimacing at the ringing in her ears and staring at the body underneath her shoe.</p><p> </p><p>He’d tried to grab her and drag her into a van in the alley behind where she was working for the time being.</p><p> </p><p>She didn’t appreciate that.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>She stared thoughtfully at the cupcake she’d gotten herself.</p><p> </p><p>A quiet celebration, but a celebration nonetheless.</p><p> </p><p>A celebration of still being alive, and free and in control.</p><p> </p><p>Fifteen years old, and already she had more serious offenses than most seasoned criminals would.</p><p> </p><p>She was tired of running.</p><p> </p><p>Maybe it was time to find somewhere she could stay.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>She had learned several things over the past year.</p><p> </p><p>Lying was essential, and she had become very good at it.</p><p> </p><p>Knowing your way around a gun can and will save your life at some point.</p><p> </p><p>It pays to build a reputation. Or, if that wasn’t an option, playing the sweet and innocent card could get you the advantage in a pinch.</p><p> </p><p>Someone’s always trying to rip you off.</p><p> </p><p>And you can never hesitate in a fight.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Distortion and Aftermath was a sprawling town somewhere in the middle of nowhere.</p><p> </p><p>So really, just a town in Ohio. </p><p> </p><p>Low police and hero presence made laying low and slowly integrating herself easier than she’d expected.</p><p> </p><p>She had to lie about her age, of course, but it wasn’t hard. Especially since the diner she got hired at didn’t do any kind of background check, for some reason.</p><p> </p><p>For a while, she’d just live a mostly normal life, even attending a few engineering courses at the local college. </p><p> </p><p>Of course, they didn’t know she was building custom weapons in the workshop.</p><p> </p><p>And she liked it that way.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>She stared at the mask in her hands.</p><p> </p><p>It was based on a Venetian masquerade mask, with intricate decorations engraved into the white metal it was made out of, a small rosette decorating the right side.</p><p> </p><p>She glanced at the muzzle she hadn’t worn in months, laying forgotten on a shelf.</p><p> </p><p>She dropped it in the dumpster on her way out.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>It was rather ironic that the pistol that had served her so well once belonged to her father. </p><p> </p><p>In the end, it had been of more use than he ever was.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>A couple months had passed since she found herself practically a civilian, and she was itching for a fight.</p><p> </p><p>Violence was oddly therapeutic. To methodically stab someone who tried to rob you, smiling serenely at them as they begged for mercy… </p><p> </p><p>But more importantly, she’d found out about the existing underground in DaA.</p><p> </p><p>Maybe she could finally get some business.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“Do you have anything more… how to put this.” The child in front of her smiles, and while it might have been sweet once, it’s sharp and wicked now.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“Dangerous.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Cat smiles right back and pulls out another box from under the table. For some reason, the “Black Market” in DaA was an actual market. </p><p> </p><p>Terrible idea, really, but all the cops were corrupt and the heroes knew better than to risk an entire town’s worth of criminals trying to kill them.</p><p> </p><p>At least it made her job easier.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“Come here often?” Cat sipped her drink (just lemonade, she may be a murder but she wasn’t an idiot), brushing off her dress and adjusting her mask absentmindedly. </p><p> </p><p>It was simply good practice not to reveal your identity to just anyone in a villain meeting place, after all.</p><p> </p><p>The girl’s head snapped up, purple hair falling away from her face, showing the cuts and scratches littered across it and revealing her puzzled expression, possibly at the perceived boldness required to chat up someone who’s atmosphere practically screamed ‘touch me and die’.</p><p> </p><p>“That... was not a pick up line. Actual question.” Cat groaned internally. She really had to stop doing that on accident, it was making her life more difficult than it already was.</p><p> </p><p>The girl in the yellow shirt glanced at her warily, but turned back to the bar they were sitting at.</p><p> </p><p>“Depends, who’s asking?” </p><p> </p><p>“Just a nobody at the moment, I’m afraid. I thought perhaps we could be friends.”</p><p> </p><p>The girl let out an amused laugh. “You come <em>here</em> to make friends?”</p><p> </p><p>“Sure. You can call me Cat, if you want.” She turned to face the girl and offered her hand.</p><p> </p><p>“Alright then, <em>Kitten</em>,” she chuckles, “I’m Sofi. Let’s be friends, then.” She shook Cat’s hand.</p><p> </p><p>“Nice to meet you, <em>Sunshine.</em> I think I have some things you’ll like.” </p><p> </p><p>She grinned. This was going to be<em> fun.</em></p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“It’s quite simple, really. Even someone as <em>dense</em> as you could understand. You don’t provide your… <em>services</em> to anyone not affiliated with us-” Cat gestured to herself and Sofi, “and in return not <em>only</em> do we not kill you, we’ll also be sure to send more business your way!” Her grin was razor sharp.</p><p> </p><p>“A real win-win situation, yeah?” She prodded the man with her pistol. He nodded, struggling where he was lying on the ground, trapped by her steel toed boot sitting on his chest.</p><p> </p><p><em>“As long,”</em> Sofi interjected “as you stop trying to rip us off.”</p><p> </p><p>She pouted. “After all, it’s hardly fair to charge us more for being <em>us.”</em></p><p> </p><p>He nodded frantically, a fox trapped between two wolves.</p><p> </p><p>Pathetic.</p><p> </p><p>Sofi cocked her head. “I think you might need a reminder, though.”</p><p> </p><p>She pulled a small, incredibly sharp dagger out of her pocket. Cat would know, she had made it herself.</p><p> </p><p>“I think a scar will do nicely.” She smiled in a cruel mockery of kindness, with just a hint of a crazed grin at the corners.</p><p> </p><p>The man opened his mouth to speak, but was quickly silenced by Cat stepping harder on his chest, making him cough and wheeze for air.</p><p> </p><p>Sofi kneeled beside him and traced a line down down his cheek, blood welling from the cut.</p><p> </p><p>She lifted the knife, preparing to make a second one, but Cat shook her head at her.</p><p> </p><p>She frowned, but stood up and put it away.</p><p> </p><p>“Hopefully that suffices.”</p><p> </p><p>Her eyes turned stormy. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>“</em>
  <em>I won’t be so forgiving the next time around.”</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Cat removed her boot and let the man scramble to his feet, shaking and dabbing at the cut.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m glad we were able to come to an understanding after all.” Cat grinned.</p><p> </p><p>She started walking away, but stopped when she realized Sofi wasn’t next to her.</p><p> </p><p>“C’mon, Sunshine. Let’s go.” </p><p> </p><p>Sofi dropped her glare and turned to follow Cat reluctantly.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>“Why’d you stop me, Kitten? I was having fun!” Sofi pouted.</p><p> </p><p>Cat sighed gently, leading them through a series of winding alleys that she knew like the back of her hand. Or, more accurately put, that she knew like the grip of her pistol.</p><p> </p><p>“If we rough him up too much, he’ll get desperate. And desperate people are<em> dangerous.</em> They’re unpredictable.” She brushed her hair out of her face - she should really cut it soon - and continued, “If he decides to throw himself to the mercy of heroes or law enforcement, he’ll put them on our tail.”</p><p> </p><p>They walked out into fresh air and sunlight.</p><p> </p><p>“Besides, you’ll get plenty of chances to have fun.”</p><p> </p><p>She tucked her gun away in the folds of her skirt. She hated them when she was younger, but she could hide oh so many weapons in one now.</p><p> </p><p>Besides, they gave off a sophisticated air.</p><p> </p><p>She turned to face Sofi. </p><p> </p><p>“Sunshine, we’re going run this town by the time I’m done.”</p>
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